Hands-On With The Galaxy S8-Inspired Phone From UmiDigi

As much as I prefer Android over iOS, Google to Apple, there's no denying that the Cupertino tech giant is still the ultimate trendsetter in mobile to the general public (the latter distinction is important, because iPhones haven't introduced anything new or daring in seven years from the techie point-of-view).

So even though the smartphone market is already starting to flood with phones with edge-to-edge screens of the bezel-less or slim-bezel variety, it won't officially be "the thing" (at least to mainstream news outlets) until the iPhone 8 is unveiled in a few days.

The problem for some consumers, however, is that the big two are getting more and more brazen with jacking up their prices. Samsung's new phone, the Note 8, costs nearly $1,000 in the U.S, despite offering minor upgrades over the Galaxy S8, which can be had in the U.S. for around $650. The new iPhone is expected to cost more. Samsung and Apple are doing this partly because its phones cost a bit more to make, but mostly because it knows people will pay whatever to get the latest iPhone or Galaxy.

For those who want the new-age slim bezel designs, but don't want to, or cannot, pay the high prices, there are options.

At IFA in Berlin last week, a Shenzhen-based phonemaker named UmiDigi unveiled its S2/S2 Pro handset, and the design influences for the device's front is clear: the Samsung Galaxy S8.

The UmiDigi S2.

UmiDigi

The S2 has the same 18:9 aspect that LG and Samsung pioneered earlier this year (though Samsung uses an 18.5:9), with similarly shaped bezels as the S8 (but slightly larger). In fact, the phone's navigation buttons even look just like Samsung's unique take.

The longer, narrower 18:9 aspect ratio (compared to the 16:9 that had been the standard for years) is the new standard for mobile screens. As I mentioned during my LG G6 review, going 18:9 allows devices to achieve a larger screen without making the phone wider. A phone that's not as wide horizontally is much easier to grip and use.

UmiDigi's S2 is one of the first Chinese budget devices to go this route. I was unable to get my hands on the S2 when I was at IFA last week, but as soon as I got back to Hong Kong I trekked across the border to test the device.

Aside from the front, the S2's back is made of all metal, and dare I say, it looks better than the glass backs of the Samsung Galaxy S8 or LG G6/V30. This is personal preference, of course, but how many reviewers complain about the back of Galaxy devices being fingerprint magnets? That's because the glass back only looks good in product shots, not in real world usage. A metal back doesn't have to worry about attracting grease as much.

Oh, the S2's fingerprint reader is in a much better location than the S8's too.

I like the metal back better than the glass backs of Samsung phones.

Ben Sin

The bottom ports are aligned correctly, unlike Samsung's phone.

Ben Sin

That 18:9 aspect ratio means you can use two apps side by side easily.

Ben Sin

I also like the S2's circular dual camera layout and the clean fingerprint reader. The antenna lines are curved along the top and bottom edges of the phone (Western tech publications, aside from The Verge, always attribute this "hidden antenna" design to the iPhone 7 when actually, Meizu beat Apple to the punch by half a year).

Though the design feel very premium and the craftsmanship is superb for a budget Chinese handset maker, the S2 is still a bit longer and wider than the Galaxy S8, the gold standard in cramming a large screen into a compact body -- and this is factoring in that UmiDigi's device has a larger screen (6-inch 1080p panel from Sharp).

I can't believe this phone costs only $230.

Ben Sin

Under the hood, the S2 is powered by a MediaTek Helio P20 with 4GB of RAM while the Pro edition has a more powerful P25 chipset with 6GB of RAM. Other differences include screen resolution (720p vs 1080p). I tried the standard 4GB variant, but the phone was snappy. That's partly due to the phone's near stock Android software, which is a great thing considering how much Chinese phone companies try to cram unnecessary bloat into its phones.

I only got to play around with the device for an hour, and being in China without access to Google or a USB-C cable meant I couldn't export photo samples yet. But I did try the 13-megapixel Sony IMX258 camera and the photos turned out solid in good daylight. How it performs in low light situation remains to be seen.

The bottom bezel is a bit larger than the S8's. Notice the navigation button looks the same as Samsung's version.

Ben Sin

The other highlight of the S2, aside from that 18:9 slim(ish) bezel screen has got to be the 5,100 mAh battery. That's huge -- Samsung's Note 8 only has a measly 3,300mAh. UmiDigi says it will last you two days easily. I'll have to test the phone myself to see.

Ultimately, as a tech journalist and somewhat of a creative person, it's hard for me to gush too much about a device that is a clear blatant copy of an existing product. But if I look at this from the eyes of the consumer? The UmiDigi S2 will go on sale soon for just $229 while the S2 Pro will go for $299. UmiDigi is even knocking $50 off the standard variant for those who pre-order on September 18. To get a premium feeling metal phone with the similar all-screen look of a Galaxy S8 and lean Android software for not even $200? Wow.